Chicago Big-Box Battle Not Over Yet

The gut-wrenching issue here is, and always has been, whether preference should be given to the poor who shop at WalMart or to the employees who work there.  This is a difficult issue not easily resolved as some seem to think. 

If living wage ordinances are passed in enough communities, WalMart, like any other retailer, will simply raise prices and cast the burden on the consumers and suppliers.  There isn’t any other alternative except to go broke. 

On the other hand, many who work at WalMart can’t seem to get jobs anywhere else otherwise they would work elsewhere for higher wages.  They can’t afford to be altruistic about shoppers.

I have observed that people, and not all of them poor, will drive what I consider long distances (50 to 60 miles) to shop at WalMarts and Targets. I’m not sure local pay ordinances will have that much effect after all.

John,
did you ever consider that most people that work at walmart probably like their jobs and choose to work there. Once again you under the influence of the leftist who think associates at walmart can’t work anywhere else instead of choosing to work there. A poll taken around Jan., shows that 80% of associates at walmart actually enjoy working there. Surprise surprise. This website wouldn’t post those numbers or all the other numbers that show that the majority of people, dem and rep, approve of walmart and do shop there. Also, this website makes you think the benefits are so bad. Me along with majority of associates appreciate the benefits. Yes, I have to pay for my health insurance, unlike a union job where they feel they should get it for free, but thats life.

When this poll was done, did the employee’s (associates) feel safe to answer honestly? Was it confidential and done by an outside party? Was there anyway to identify what store that associate worked at? Was the poll taken at a brand new store when most are possibly happy and have not experienced the real day to day grind?
I doubt that your poll is that reliable.
There is something called trust level.  You can have either a low trust level, or a high trust level, or something in between.
Your information means very little to anyone but you Banned.

Once banned - Seeing that Wal-Mart’s turn-over rate is at a rediculous level, I’m sure most of these employees polled, have not been there long enough to come to a honest pro or con opinion of the company. I too, used to work for a non-union employer with a 63% turn-over rate. When I personally asked the “new” employees if they like their new job, the response sometimes would be, “yes, it’s okay”. But if that same employee stayed around long enough, their opinion always changed!!!

Glad to hear they’re so determined…

John-

You have a good point about the price increase that would likely accompany higher wages, and this would in turn affect the employees whose pay increase would be diluted by having to pay more themselves.  But that’s another issue.  In this case, the “living wage” supporters are suggesting that it is better for the people of Chicago to be unemployed than work at a big-box store.

Good point Someone
So I guess that everyone should shut their mouths and count their blessings being ‘underemployed’?

Once banned,

“Yes, I have to pay for my health insurance, unlike a union job where they feel they should get it for free,”

This getting health insurance for FREE, is part of union propaganda, not all union companies give Free health insurance.  People have to remember, that contracts have to be “negotiated” and on the first negotiation sometimes it is a give and take thing, you may get higher wages, but, lose stock options, or may get better, cheaper insurance, but lose 10% employees discount, etc.

As for turnover rate, does anybody ever think about the fact that Wal-Mart has a lot of college students, who leave after they graduate, or retired people who aren’t their for a career, or woman who work for awhile to supplement their husbands earnings, etc., there a lot of reasons other than mistreatment, that would explain the turnover.

Once banned—you are correct in what “grass roots” reported, however the “vast” majority of WM employees were “afraid” to tell the truth for they thought they could have been identified and did not want to get “fired”

Bob in—your post is only partially correct.  The majority of the employees leave because of 1) wages, 2)lack of respect for them 3)poor company polices on merchandising and freight 4)ridiculous work scheduling and yes getting fired.

Once again I am “knowledgeable” in this post.  The employees are generally unhappy, but don’t always have a place to go.  It is getting worse for most of WM employees.

Knowledgeable is correct about a huge percentage of employees being unhappy and not having a place to go.  Michigan is especially crappy right now.  This applies to people with college degrees as well (some of whom work at Wal-Mart) as to people without them, to people with high school dimplomas and GED’s and to those without them, and even to people that learned a trade and, guess where they’re working?

Generic,

“ Michigan is especially crappy right now.”

Could this be because of all of those GM and FORD union workers who have lost or are losing their jobs?  What happened to their JOB SECURITY, promised by the union?

And, if Wal-Mart is the only place left to find a job, isn’t that a sign that at least Wal-Mart is not getting rid of workers, so you will at least be able to live without becoming homeless?

Well, Bob, blaming that situation on the unions is absurd, it’s a little more complicated than that.  Also, that is why I work at Wal-Mart, because it’s relatively stable, although this isn’t completely true in a lot of ways.  Management knows how crappy the situation is right now so they know that they can get away with a lot.  OUr store manager even said “If you don’t like it, quit and go work somewhere else.” to us as a group.  So much for the “open door policy”, huh?  It means we’ll open the door so you can leave and hire someone else desperate enough for a job in your place.

I should have added that I work at Wal-Mart because it’s all that I can get right now and it’s relatively stable.

Generic, why is Walmart all you can get right now?  Are there no other jobs in your area?  Where do you live?

-Richard K

Richard K,

I say that anyone who can’t find a new job in less than a month or two, isn’t looking.  I’ll bet that the newspaper has at least 2 pages of jobs, almost anywhere in this country!!

Generic,

“Well, Bob, blaming that situation on the unions is absurd, it’s a little more complicated than that.”

Let me tell you about unions, especially the UAW, which is the main one we are talking about when we mention Michigan.  Years ago, at a company called American Motors, remember them, this is the way contracts were handled, the contract was put on hold until Ford, GM and Chrysler settled their contracts, American Motors would then threaten to go on strike, if they didn’t get MORE than the other companies got.  As American Motors was the smallest automobile producer in the counrty at the time, they either had to give in or face lost sales and profits.  Then, the next time contracts were up for negotiation, Ford, GM and Chrysler workers started based on what American Motors workers were getting, an automatic INCREASE without even trying.  And, guess what, where is American Motors now?  So, don’t say it isn’t the unions fault, because they set the wages that control the cost of living, that make it hard for poorer people to live on, they have distorted what a living wage is.

Generic,

“settled their contracts, American Motors would then threaten to go on strike,”

Sorry, should have read, “settled their contracts, American Motors WORKERS would then threaten to go on strike,”